Hat box constructions



Dec. 24, 1957 M. 1. BURG 2,817,433

HAT Box coNsTRUcTIoNs Filed oct. 13, 1955 I ya. I. BURG BY .Y I F|G.5 -M/ A TORNEY 'I mit@ @me @Pata HAT BOX CONSTRUCTIONS Michael I. Burg, Philadelphia, la. Application October 13, 1955, Serial No. 540,212 4 Claims. (Cl. 206-9) This invention relates generally to hat box constructions, and is particularly directed to an improved collar, ring or stay for supporting hats in a hat box.

The particular embodiment of the present invention, which is illustrated in the drawings and which will be described hereinafter in greater detail, comprises generally an annulus or collar adapted to be held in upwardly opening relation for receiving through its upper end the crown of an inverted hat, and a plurality of inverted generally U-shaped strips each having one end portion extending upwards from the upper end of the tube, so that the bight portions of said strips are bowed upwards to engage with and yieldably support the brim of said hat.

As is well known to those versed in the art, collars, stays or tubes for supporting hats in a hat box have heretofore been subject to serious objections. For example, the upper ends of such collars have been relatively rigid, often defined by a thin edge, so that a hat brim supported in engagement with such a collar end was subjected to relatively high bearing pressure which defaced the felt or other material of the brim, as by rub marks or depressions. It was therefore necessary to remove the depressions or rub marks, as by brushing, ealch time a hat was worn or offered to a customer for sa e.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a hat box collar of the type described which overcomes the above mentioned diliiculties, and yieldably supports a hat in a hat box with a minimum of bearing pressure on the hat, so as to eliminate the formation of depressions or rub marks, and hence obviate `the necessity for repeated brushing of the hat.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hat supporting collar for a hat box, and blank therefor, which are extremely simple inconstruction, which may be quickly and easily set up by inexperienced persons, which is durable and reliable in use, and which can be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method of making a hat supporting collar having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the foregoing paragraphs, and which can be readily fabricated from a single blank without the need for special equipment.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations and arrangements of elements and method steps, which will be exemplified in the following description, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, showing a hat box including hat supporting collars constructed in accordance with the present invention;

2,817,433 `Patented Dec. 24, 1957 Figure 2 is a plan view showing a lblank adapted to be formed into a` hat supporting collar, as illustrated in Figure l;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the collar of Figure 1, removed from the box;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of a hat box, partly in section, and illustrating slightly modified hat supporting collars constructed in accordance with the present invention; and

Figure 5 is applan view showing a blank adapted to be formed into a hat supporting collar of Figure 4.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and .specifically to Figure 1 thereof, there is illustrated therein a hat box, generally designated 10, which includes a bottom wall 11 and an upstanding side wall 12 extending about the periphery of the bottom Wall. The side wall 12 may be arcuate or polygonal conguration, as desired, and may be of the collapsible or set up type. A box top or lid 13 `is provided on the upper end of the side wall 12.

Arranged in the box10 are a plurality of superposed platforms, `generally designated 15, 16 and 17. The lowermost platform 15 includes a generally horizontally disposed plate or `platform proper 18 of a size slightly less than the interior of the box side wall 12, and supporting wall members 19 depending from the plate and having their lower edges resting on the bottom wall 11 of the box. Formed centrally of the platform plate 18 is an opening 20, for a purpose appearing presently.

The platforms 16 and 17 are substantially identical, the latter being superposed on the former, and the former being superposed on the platform 15. In particular, the platform 16 includes a generally horizontally disposed plate or platform proper 22 formed with a central opening and of just slightly smaller size than the interior of the box side wall 12. A pair of spaced, supporting wall members 23 depend from the plate 22 and have their lower edges resting on the plate 18 to support the plate 22 in spaced relation above the plate 18.

The platform 17 includes a generally horizontally disposed plate 25 supported in parallel spaced relation above the plate 22 by spaced, depending wall members 26, the lower edges of which rest on the upper surface of the plate 22. The plate 25 is also of an external configuration similar to and just slightly smaller than the interior of the box side wall 12, and is formed with a central opening directly above the central openings of the plate 18 and 22.

A hat supporting ring or collar, generally designated ZS, is supported in upwardly opening relation within the central opening of the plate 25 to support an inverted hat 29 with its crown 30 extending downwards through the collar and its brim 31 resting on the upper end of the collar. An identical hat supporting collar 33 is held in upwardly opening relation within the central opening of the platform plate 22 and supports an inverted hat 34 with its crown extending downwards through the collar 33 and its brim resting on the upper end of the latter collar. Further, it will be observed that the crown 30 of the hat 29 extends downward into the crown of the hat 34. An additional hat supporting collar or ring, generally designated 35, similar to the collars 28 and 33, is supported in upwardly opening relation within the opening 20 of the plate 18 on the bottom wall 11 of the box 10, and carries an inverted hat 36 with the hat crown extending downwards into the collar 35 and the hat brim resting on the upper collar end.

The collar 28 includes a generally vertically disposed tube 39 received within the central opening of plate 25, and is provided with a plurality of generally vertically disposed, circumferentially spaced, outwardly projecting tabs or ears 40, each formed with an inwardly extending 3 cut or slit 41 adapted to receive the adjacent portion of the plate 25 to support the tube within the plate opening. Extending peripherally about the upper end of the collar tube 39 is a resiliently yieldably, enlarged bead 43 which gently supports the hat brim 31 with a minimum of bearing pressure. Stated otherwise, a peripheral skirt 45 extends exteriorly about the tube 39, and is formed integral with and depending from the upper end of the tube. A plurality of circumferentially spaced, generally radially disposed cuts or slits extend downwards through the bead 43 into the tube 39 and skirt 45, so as to define between each adjacent pair of cuts an inverted, generally U-shaped y strip 47.

Thus, the strips 47 are arranged circumferentially about the tube 39, each strip having one end portion 48 formed integral with and extending upwards from the upper end of the tube, while the intermediate strip portion 49 is bowed upwards, and the other strip end portion 50 extends downwards exteriorly of the tube. The remaining, unsevered lower edge portion 51 of the skirt 45 denes a band snugly girding or extending circumferentially about the tube 39 and normally in frictional engagement with the latter. The band 51 thereby frictionally resists movement relative to the tube 39 so thatthe strips 47, and hence the bead 43 dened by the strips, is maintained in its upstanding relation, and capable of being repeatedly resiliently deflected by the hat brim 31 under the weight of the hat. Such deection, of course, attens or distends the strip bight portions 29 to increase the bearing surface and reduce the unit bearing pressure on the hat brim. lf desired, the lower edge portion or band 51 of the skirt 45 may be adhesively or otherwise secured in engagement with the tube 39 to positively prevent movement of the v band relative to the tube.

The collar 28 may be readily formed from the blank of Figure 2, which comprises an elongate, generally rectangular sheet 50, preferably fabricated of somewhat resilient, ilexible material, such as cardboard or the like, and provided with a longitudinally disposed row of transversely extending through cuts or slits 46 located adjacent to and spaced from one longitudinal edge 52 of the sheet. Formed in the sheet 50, adjacent to and spaced from the other longitudinal edge 53, is a longitudinally disposed row of spaced tabs 4t), each being swingable about a fold line 55 extending transversely of the sheet 50 to define outstanding ears. The tabs 40 are slit, as at 41, inwards from their free ends. A securing flap 56 is provided en one end edge 57 of the sheet 50, while a slot or cut 53 is formed transversely of the sheet adjacent to the other sheet fine the strips 47, while the above described smooth bend untimately deiines the bead 43. lt is now only necessary to bend the sheet Sil to bring the end edges 57 and 59 into proximate relation, and insert the ap 56 through the slit 58 to hold the sheet in an annular or tubular configuration. The ends of the sheet 50 are brought together so as to place the sheet margin 51 adjacent to the edge 52 exteriorly of the annulus. Thus, the margin 51 dened the band and is snugly circumposed about the tube. Stated otherwise, the strips 47 dened between each adjacent pair of cuts 46 in the blank 56 are smoothly bent to swing the longitudinal blank margin or edge portion 51 toward an intermediate, longitudinal blank portion 6). The blank 50 is then bent to bring the sheet ends 57 and 59 into adjacent relation, and define an annulus of the blank with the blank edge portion 51 disposed exteriorly of the annulus. After the ap or tab 56 is inserted through the slot 58 to retain the blank in its annular collar forming configuration, the collar is disposed in an opening of a platform plate, say plate 25. The tabs 40 are then swung outwards about their hinged connections or fold lines 55,

so that each tab receives the adjacent edge portion of the platform plate and supports the collar within the plate.

The collar 33 is identical to the collar 28, so that a detailed description is not necessary.

The collar 35 is similar to the collars 28 and 33, including an upwardly opening tube 61, and an upstanding yieldable bead 62 extending peripherally about the upper edge of the tube. The" bead 62 of collar 35 is identical to the bead 43 of collar 28. However, the tube 61 is relatively long, and has its lower edge resting on the bottom wall 11 of the box 10, so that the need for platform engaging, collar supporting tabs is eliminated.

A slightly modied form of the present invention is illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, which form obviates the necessity for platform plate supporting walls as at 23 and 26. A hat box side wall is illustrated at 64, and a. pair of identical hat supporting collars disposed within a hat box are generally designated 65 and 66. The collar 65 is similar to the collar 28 of the first described embodiment, including a generally vertically disposed tube 67 received within the central opening of a platform plate 68 and provided with a plurality of generally vertically disposed, circumferentially spaced outwardly projecting slit tabs or ears 69 identical to the tabs 40 and each receiving the adjacent portion of the plate 68. The upper end portion of the collar 65 is identical to the upper end portion of the collar 28, including a resiliently yieldable, enlarged, upstanding bead 70 delined by a plurality of inverted, generally U-shaped strips 71. Stated otherwise, a pe ripheral skirt 73 extends exteriorly about the tube 67, and is formed integral with and depending from the upper end of the tube. A plurality of `circurnferentially spaced, generally radially disposed cuts or slits 74 extend downwards through the bead 70 into the tube 67 and skirt 73.

However, the lower end of the tube 67 is provided with a peripherally extending, resiliently yieldable, enlarged, depending bead 76, substantially the same as the upper end bead 70, but in inverted relation. That is, a peripheral skirt 77 extends exteriorly about the tube 67, adjacent to the lower end thereof, and is formed integral with and extending upwards from the lower tube end. A plurality of circumferentially spaced, generally radially disposed cuts or slits 78 extend upwards through the bead 76 into the tube 67 and skirt 77, so as to deline between each adjacent pair of cuts an upright, generally U-shaped strip 79. The strips 79 are arranged circumferentially about the tube 67, each strip having one end portion 80 formed integral with and extending down- Wards from the lower end of the tube, while the intermediate strip portion 81 is bowed downwards, and the outer strip end portion 82 extends upwards exteriorly of the tube. The remaining, unsevered upper edge portion of the skirt 77 denes a band, as at 83, snugly girding or extending circumferentially about the tube 67, and normally in frictional engagement with the latter.

The identical collars 65 and 66 are arranged in superposed relation, with the crown 85 of an inverted hat 86 extending downwards through the upper end of the lower collar 66, and the hat brim 87 resting on the upper end bead of the latter collar. An additional hat 89 is inverted, with its crown 90 extending downwards through the upper end of the collar 65, and has its brim 91 supported in bearing engagement on the upper end bead 70 of the collar 65. Further, the lower end bead 76 of the collar 65 rests lightly, by reason of its resiliency, on the brim 87 of the lower hat 86. By this construction and arrangement, the platforms 68 and 92 are supported in the hat box by their respective collars 65 and 66, thus eliminating the platform supporting walls required in the first described embodiment.

The collar 66 may be formed from the blank 95, which consists essentially of a generally rectangular sheet of flexible, somewhat resilient material, such as cardboard or the like. The blank 95 is provided with a pair of spaced, longitudinally disposed rows of transversely extending through cuts or slits '74 and 78, each row being located to adjacent to and spaced from a respective longitudinal edge 96 and 97 of the blank. intermediate the longitudinal rows of slits 74 and 78 the blank 95 is formed with a longitudinally disposed row of spaced tabs 69, each being swingable about a fold line 98 extending transversely of the sheet to dene outstanding ears. A securing ap 99 is formed on one edge of the blank 95, while a slot or cut 100 is provided transversely of the blank remote from the securing flap.

The collar 65 may be formed from the blank 95 by making a pair of smooth bends in the sheet each extending longitudinally of the sheet in the region of a respective row of slits 74 and 78. The sheet of blank 95 is then bent to bring the opposite end edges into adjacent relation to dene a tube or annulus with the longitudinal margins of the blank disposed exteriorly of the tube. The ap 99 may then be inserted into the slot 100 to maintain the collar in its annular or tubular configuration.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention provides a highly improved hat box construction, and method and blank for making the same, which fully accomplish their intended objects, and are well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for supporting a hat with a minimum of bearing pressure on the hat, said device being fabricated of resilient liexible sheet material and comprising a tubular member adapted to be held in upwardly opening relation for receiving through its upper end the crown of an inverted hat, a group of strips arranged circumferentially about said tubular member and each having one end portion secured to and extending upwards from the upper end of said tubular member, each of said strips having its intermediate portion bowed upwards and its other end portion extending downwards, and a band snugly girding said tubular member adjacent to the upper end of the latter, the other ends of said strips being secured to said band to maintain said intermediate strip portions in upwardly bowed condition, whereby a hat is adapted to be arranged in inverted relation with its crown extending spacedly into the upper end of said tubular and its brim supported on said upwardly bowed strip portions.

2. A device for supporting a hat with a minimum of bearing pressure on the hat, said device being fabricated of resilient, tiexible sheet material and comprising a tube adapted to be held in upwardly opening relation for receiving through its upper end the crown of an inverted hat, a skirt integral with and depending from the upper end of said tube and combining therewith to define an upstanding bead for supporting engagement with the brim of said inverted hat, there being a plurality of spaced cuts extending downwards through said bead and into said tube and skirt to form thereof a plurality of inverted generally U-shaped strips, and a plurality of tabs extending longitudinally of said tube and projecting outwards therefrom, each of said tabs being formed with an inwardly extending cut for receiving a platform surrounding said tube, whereby the bight portions of said strips are resiliently deectable under the weight of said hat to be distended and thereby reduce the bearing pressure on said brim, and said tube being adapted to be supported within said platform.

3. A blank for a hat supporting collar, said blank comprising an elongate sheet of somewhat resilient flexible material, said sheet being provided with a longitudinally disposed row of transversely extending through cuts located adjacent to and spaced from one longitudinal edge of said sheet, and a plurality of tabs spaced longitudinally along said sheet remote from said one longitudinal sheet edge and each hiugedly connected to said sheet for rotation about an axis transverse of said sheet, said tabs each being formed with a cut extending inwards from its free end toward its hinged connection.

4. A device for supporting a hat with. a minimum of bearing pressure on the hat, said device being fabricated of resilient flexible sheet material and comprising a tubular member adapted to be held in upwardly opening relation for receiving through its upper end the crown of an inverted hat, a group of strips arranged circumferentially about said tubular member and each having one end portion secured to and extending upwards from the upper end of said tubular member, each of said strips having its intermediate portion bowed upwards and its other end portion extending downwards, a band snugly girding said tubular member adjacent to the upper end of the latter, the other ends of said strips being secured to said band to maintain said intermediate strip portions in upwardly bowed condition, and a plurality of generally vertically disposed tabs projecting outwards from said tubular member, each of said tabs being provided with a cut extending inwards from its free end for receiving an edge portion of a platform surrounding said tubular member, whereby said tubular member is adapted to be supported within said platform and a hat is adapted to be arranged in the inverted relation with its crown extending spacedly into the upper end of said tubular member and its brim supported on said upwardly bowed strip portions.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 520,145 Newman May 22, 1894 538,067 Crouch Apr. 23, 1895 2,141,017 Richards Dec. 20, 1938 2,334,392 Diehl Nov. 16, 1943 2,540,992 Rickus Feb. 6, 1951 2,786,570 Kirby Mar. 26, 1957 

